Submacular hemorrhages are a rare complication in the case of choroidal neovascularization, which frequently leads to a reduction in visual acuity. To treat submacular hemorrhage, injections are made in the subretinal space so as to move the submacular hemorrhage away from the macula, as a result of which the visual acuity in the center of the eye can be retained. Generally, subretinal tissue plasminogen activators and antivascular endothelial growth factors are injected to destroy the blood clot and to liquefy the submacular hemorrhage for mobilization. The injection is illustrated schematically in FIG. 1.
When injecting into the retina, care needs to be made not to inject into the choroid so as to safeguard it against damage. For this reason, injections are carried out preferably where there is sufficient distance between the retina and the choroid. Moreover, subretinal air is introduced to minimize the buoyancy of the liquefied submacular hemorrhage. The injected air furthermore allows the displacement of the submacular hemorrhage. The key to a successful displacement of the submacular hemorrhage is in an understanding of the interaction of various forces which permit the displacement of the liquefied submacular hemorrhage in the subretinal space, and how these forces can be influenced in an appropriate manner.